Ripple
by Ethan L
Summary: By taking away Firelord Ozai's bending, Aang has woken an ancient spirit with a grudge against the avatar. Soon after, one of the gAang gets attacked, leaving Aang no choice but to seek out the spirit with a rage he may not be able to control
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One – **We Meet Again

"_There is unbalance Aang," _Avatar Roku said. The past and present avatars looked at each other in silence for a moment.

"I know," Aang said. "I've felt it ever since I defeated Ozai." Aang had only meant to meditate before going to bed and had found himself in the spirit world where Avatar Roku was waiting for him.

_"Do you have the strength necessary to move forward?" _Roku asked. Aang thought back to the kiss he shared with Katara. It seemed like so long ago that they were all happily resting from the exertions of war. But all good things end and it was not long after that before Sokka and Suki had disappeared leaving only a note of their intentions to find Sokka's lost sword and boomerang. Firelord Zuko had left along with Mai, Iroh, and strangely enough, Toph, in order to follow a lead on his mother. Katara and Aang had flown to the Southern Water Tribe only to find that the tribe was on its way to becoming a great city. He knew his body was still in his room, across the hall from where Katara's room was located and he wondered if she had been hoping to see him at that very moment. A small shiver ran down his spine.

"Do I need to begin now?" Aang asked, feeling a lump form in his throat. He had gotten used to the idea of relaxing.

_"Our actions cause reactions in the most unexpected places Aang,"_ Roku said. _"You rediscovered a talent long forgotten and the world has changed because of it. When you robbed Ozai of his bending, you sent a spark through all of time, awakening a spirit that many thought to be eternally silenced."_

"I woke a spirit? How long has he been asleep? Is he mad at me?" Aang asked every question as quickly as they came into his thoughts.

_"Masaru the Pilferer," _Roku said. _"I do not know his history, nor do I know where he first showed up in our lives, but I do know that we have been locked in battle with Masaru for a very long time Aang."_

"Oh no," Aang moaned as he held his head with his hands. "What have I done?"

_"I will ask you again Avatar Aang; do you have the strength necessary to move forward? I believe you may need to visit Koh once more Aang as he would be the only spirit with information on Masaru."_

"Koh the Face Stealer?" Aang cried out. This night was just getting worse. He wondered back to the physical world for a moment, allowing himself just the smallest daydream of waking up and seeing Katara waiting for him anxiously. Returning to her seemed like a much more welcoming idea than putting his face at risk. Aang sighed and looked at Roku's face once more. "I will go see Koh, and I will defeat Masaru the Pilferer once and for all," Aang declared.

As Aang stepped up to the cave where Koh lived he reached back into his monk heritage and calmly detached himself from the world. When he was sure his face would not betray a single emotion he stepped into the cave.

"Koh, Stealer of Faces," Aang began. His voice rang loud and true through the cave, the sense of authority he had gained from his training fueling his courage. "I am in need of your knowledge once again."

Silence followed Aang's declaration. He sat on the cave floor, waiting patiently for what seemed like a lifetime. Finally, something chuckled in the distance and the body of a giant centipede came into view. For this occasion Koh had chosen to wear the face of Ummi, a lover of one of Aang's past lives. Aang felt a bubble of rage surface somewhere deep inside him, but he was able to keep the feelings at bay.

_"You could have knocked Avatar,"_ Koh said swiftly. He circled around Aang quickly before coming to a sudden halt with his face only inches from Aang's. Ummi's hair came forward as if they were under water and slowly grazed Aang's cheek. It took all of his training as a monk to refrain from crying out in rage. His lover, the beautiful Ummi, forever trapped as this evil creature's plaything. Aang closed his eyes, suppressing the feelings from his past life, and tried not to imagine what would happen if Koh ever chose to visit Katara.

"I need to know the dangers I face against Masaru the Pilferer," Aang said. He kept his voice steady and opened his eyes only to see that Koh had retreated slightly and was wearing the face of a sad old man. Koh clicked his tongue as he swirled in circles around Aang.

_"Only a fool seeks battle without provocation Avatar Aang," _Koh hissed. He changed his face to that of a feminine mask before twisting upside down to look at Aang directly once more. _"The spirit of which you speak does not seek your rage, but his preservation."_

"You speak in riddles," Aang said calmly while his stomach twisted with annoyance.

_"I speak the truth."_

"What are his plans?" Aang asked. He knew Koh meant that Masaru did not want to fight Aang, but that didn't mean Aang could just let him do whatever he wanted.

_"Do not trouble yourself with this. Masaru will harm no one so you have nothing to fear,"_ Koh said as his face shifted to that of a screeching owl. Aang rose and moved to leave the cave. At the last moment he turned and looked back at Koh the Face Stealer.

"Upon my honor as avatar," Aang began. "If what you have said to me is false I will hold you responsible for Masaru's crimes. For every person he harms, I will be sure to repay to you tenfold."

Aang left the cave in a rage, knowing that Avatar Kuruk still longed for revenge. He knew he should have been more patient, but Koh was definitely Aang's least favorite spirit. He returned to where he had first arrived and left the spirit world without looking back.

When Aang opened his eyes, the sun was pouring in his window. As much as Aang had hoped to see Katara waiting for him, he was almost relieved when he did not find her there. He stretched out his sore muscles and looked out the window where he could see Master Pakku off in the distance with a group of young waterbenders.

The sight was peaceful, but something felt strange to Aang. Almost as if his journey to the spirit world had taken more energy from him than usual. He crawled into his bed where he fell asleep instantly, completely unaware of the hooded figure that had been sitting in the corner. As Aang began to snore, Masaru stood and walked to the door.

"Koh was honest about one thing," Masaru said softly. "I will not attack you unless you first seek me out. Sleep peacefully avatar, for I fear this will be your last chance for such things."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two –** The Takers

Toph was running faster than she had ever run in her life. She felt a cliff coming up ahead but continued moving without hesitation. Just as she reached the edge of the cliff, she earthbended a slide that carried her down the face of the cliff so fast she thought the roaring wind might just make her go deaf. As she slammed into the earth at the bottom of the canyon she instantly collapsed the slide so that she couldn't be followed.

"Zuko!" Toph yelled. "Zuko where are you?"

Toph dropped into a horse stance as she felt the stranger coming toward her. How he had managed to get down the cliff was a mystery to her, but it only meant that she had to stand and fight.

She kicked three boulders at the man, but as she fell into her horse stance again she realized that she had kicked them in the wrong direction, or at least that's what it looked like. She had been facing him, kicked the boulders, and suddenly it seemed he had been behind her the whole time.

"Who do you think you are?" she growled. "It's impolite to sneak up on a lady!"

She punched the air, feeling another boulder tear free of the ground and move to do her bidding. Once again, as she finished her attack, the world seemed to shift and he was behind her once more.

She cried out in frustration. The stranger was too close. She shot herself straight into the air using the earth launch technique, trying desperately not to throw up as she went completely blind momentarily.

As she fell back to the earth, she rolled herself into a ball and spun to gain speed. At the last second, she straightened her legs and slammed into the earth, forcing it away from her with all her might. The resounding explosion was so loud she thought it would never end. The world shook underneath her and finally, the stranger was gone.

Toph felt the earth shake again and knew the cliff was going to be collapsing soon. She turned to launch herself to safety, but gasped in surprise as the stranger appeared directly in front of her. A large hand slammed into her forehead and the world went black.

"What happened to her?" Firelord Zuko demanded. His uncle, General Iroh was inspecting Toph, who they had found only moments before a rockslide buried her under a thousand pounds of rock. From the look of the land around her, Zuko was surprised to find that there were no other bodies in the area.

"I don't know Zuko, but it does not look good," Iroh said. Mai sat a short ways away as she watched them fret over the girl.

Zuko cursed loudly, wishing Katara had been there. With her, he wouldn't have had to worry about everyone getting hurt. He ignored a scowl from his uncle and screamed into the air, releasing a stream of fire from his mouth.

"If I ever find who did this to her I'll-,"

"Be quiet Zuko," Iroh said quickly. Zuko whipped his head around to argue, but saw that Toph was moving. She groaned and rubbed her head.

"What's going on?" She mumbled. She moved to sit up but stopped as she laid her hand on the ground to push herself up.

"Toph," Zuko said. "What hap-,"

"No! No, no, no!" Toph cried. She twisted around and slapped the ground repeatedly with her hands. Iroh tried to grab her but she twisted out of his grip and jumped to her feet. "What's happening?" she sobbed as tears started running down her face.

Zuko didn't understand what was happening but he was scared when he saw Toph cry. Nothing made her cry.

"What is wrong my dear?" Iroh yelled as he jumped to his feet. Zuko grabbed Toph and held her so that she couldn't move.

"Answer us Toph!" Zuko yelled directly into her ear. She raised her head so that, if she wasn't blind, they would be staring at each other eye to eye.

"He took my bending," she sobbed.

Zuko couldn't think straight. He had felt like they were getting so close to finding his mother when out of nowhere they were attacked. He had been so focused on getting Mai away that he didn't even stop to consider Toph.

"Aang's going to kill me," he growled to his uncle who was sitting a short distance away. They were on an airship designed to move faster than even Appa could fly. Iroh was drinking tea in silence. Strangely, he hadn't said much at all once they got Toph to calm down. They were on their way to the Southern Water Tribe, where Aang was and would hopefully know how to help Toph.

"Zuko," Iroh said the exhaustion obvious in his voice.

"If you're about to tell me more bad news don't," Zuko said. He yelled and punched the wall as hard as he could. He thought he heard a crack and a sharp pain lanced through his arm, but he ignored it.

"Hurting yourself won't change what happened to her!" Iroh said with concern in his eyes. He moved to check Zuko's hand but the Firelord wouldn't let him. Iroh sighed and looked his nephew in the eyes. "I believe I know who attacked the young lady."

"What?" Zuko cried. "You know who did it? Tell me now!"

"You must promise me that you will not do anything foolish. You are Firelord now and you have already been away from your nation for too long."

Zuko turned and scowled at the floor. His uncle was right as usual. He had only been planning on being gone a week at the most. A lump formed in his throat at the thought, but he would probably not be able to help Aang this time.

"After I see Toph safely in Aang and Katara's care I will return to my throne," Zuko said quietly. A large hand fell on his shoulder and Zuko knew from that small gesture that Iroh was proud of him.

"In my journeys I learned of an ancient spirit named Masaru the Pilferer who was rumored to be dead, or asleep, or something. They say he had disciples called the Takers who learned how to steal a person's bending for Masaru."

"You think this spirit is back?" Zuko asked.

"I think there is a very good chance," Iroh said. "If so, we are all in very real danger."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three – **The World's Greatest Earthbender

Aang sighed as Katara massaged his sore muscles slowly with her waterbending. His tension seemed to vanish instantly. The avatar slouched forward so that his chest was nearly flat on the bed and his hands were extended out as far as possible.

Katara read him perfectly and moved her bending down to his lower back, relieving all the tension below the old wound that Azula had given him. It seemed so long ago when he had nearly died and Katara had been there for him; she had brought him back. A wave of emotions rolled through his body, pushing him to rise and turn around.

"Is something wrong?" Katara asked. Aang leaned forward and kissed her softly. She seemed surprised at first, but quickly returned the affection. Aang could tell Katara was trying to waterbend the water back into her wineskin without breaking their kiss, but it wasn't going well for her.

Aang burst out laughing and soon they were both holding their stomachs from the pain of their laughter. Aang had already forgotten about Masaru and the infuriating Koh. Aang looked over at Katara, whose hair had gotten loose and was covering part of her face. He took a deep breath and airbended her hair back gentle with a stream of wind from his mouth. She took his hand and soon they were wrapped in each other's arms.

"I guess you're going to want to start rebuilding the air temples soon?" Katara asked into his chest. He nodded and kissed her forehead.

"We'll start with the Southern Air Temple," Aang said. He thought back to before he had gotten frozen in an iceberg and all the good times he'd had while living at the Southern Air Temple. "It will be good because it isn't that far from here so you can come and visit your family whenever you want."

"That will be great," Katara said. She didn't want to leave her home, but the time for rest was coming to an end and it was time to start rebuilding the world. A distant roar made Aang and Katara jump off the bed in excitement.

"Sokka's back!" Aang cried. Aang had missed Sokka more than he had imagined he would, and letting him borrow Appa had been hard for sure. They ran out of the door and down the hall to where Sokka was already waiting with a big grin on his face.

Katara reached him first and nearly knocked him off his feet with the force of her hug and Aang wasn't far behind. The three stood in their embrace for a long time until Momo jumped onto Aang's head, chattering happily. Appa roared with delight and knocked them all down with one lick of his massive tongue.

"I found my space sword!" Sokka yelled as they all got to their feet. "And my boomerang too! Suki and I mapped out almost exactly where we thought they would be and there they were!"

"Where is Suki?" Katara asked. Sokka's face fell slightly.

"She wanted to return home to check on the other Kyoshi Warriors," Sokka said. "I told her I just wanted to come and see everyone first and I will get a supply ship to bring me up there to meet her."

"Wait," Katara said. "You aren't staying?"

Sokka shook his head.

"I love it here, but wherever Suki calls home is where I call home now," Sokka declared.

Aang felt a surge of happiness for Sokka and wondered if Katara was having second thoughts about moving to the Southern Air Temple with him. Katara looked as if she wanted to cry but held it back. She ran a hand through her hair, offering Sokka and Aang a chance to share a confused glance.

"Is everything okay?" Sokka asked.

"I just don't think everyone should be separated after we worked so hard to bring our family back together," Katara snapped. Aang and Sokka knew it was an argument that wasn't worth having anymore. As much as Aang loved Katara, he wished she could be more realistic at times.

"Well where's dad?" Sokka asked finally. "And Gran-Gran?"

Katara opened her mouth to speak, but a strange noise stopped her voice. Sokka spun around and Aang leapt on top of Appa in order to see further. In the distance was the airship that Zuko had used when he had left to find his mother.

"It's Zuko!" Aang called down to Katara and Sokka.

"What?" Sokka yelled. "This day was supposed to be about me!"

Katara waterbended herself into the air with the snow so that she could join Aang on Appa's back.

"Do you think he found his mother?" Katara asked. Aang noticed the tears of joy welling up in her eyes.

"I don't know why he would come here if he did," Sokka said. He had climbed up Appa's tail and was squinting at the oncoming airship. A group of people from the water tribe had formed outside with Master Pakku at its front.

"Are they friendly Katara?" Pakku called, ready for anything. Katara nodded.

The airship landed gently and on the deck, Zuko stood holding a small figure in his arms. Whatever it was had a blanket over it, but it didn't take long for them to realize it was Toph after a gust of wind blew the blanket off of her foot for a second.

"Toph!" Sokka yelled. The world seemed to freeze for Aang. He went numb, completely oblivious to Katara and Sokka leaping off of Appa to go meet the visitors.

Zuko stepped off the airship with Iroh only a step behind him. It didn't take long for Katara and Sokka to reach them, but Aang was still rooted to where he stood. He already knew what happened; he could feel the change even from that distance. He could see Katara instantly calling out orders as she began checking Toph's vitals with her waterbending, but it didn't matter.

"Masaru," Aang whispered. "What have you done Masaru?"

Aang finally moved. To the naked eye, it would have seemed almost as if he had simply vanished from one spot and appeared in the next. Katara screamed in surprise as Aang appeared beside Toph. Her eyes were open, but she wasn't talking or showing any notice of anything going on around her.

"Toph," Aang said softly as he took her hand. He ignored the people around them as he said, "I promise I will fix this."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four –** The Council Decides

Only Katara and Gran-Gran were missing from the room when the meeting began. Katara had ordered Toph to a personal room where Katara could look over her more carefully for any clues on how to restore her bending.

Sokka sat directly across from Aang with papers spread out in front of him. When Aang tried to look at one, all he could see were endless scribbles. Hakoda cleared his throat and looked at Iroh, who was beside Sokka.

"I guess just tell us what happened from the beginning."

Zuko and Iroh looked at each other for a moment, and Iroh nodded for Zuko to begin.

"We were nearly to the village where my mother was supposed to be when Toph told us she felt someone trying to follow us from a distance. We decided to split up and see who they followed. I thought I heard Toph call my name so I started looking for her, and shortly after I heard what sounded like an earthquake. By the time I reached her, Toph had been knocked out and whoever had been following us was gone."

"We had assumed she had faced another earthbender and lost," Iroh interrupted.

"Which is impossible," Aang said. "No earthbender can beat her. The only one who might stand a chance is Bumi."

"Exactly," Zuko said. "When she woke up, she started freaking out, saying that someone took her bending."

"How is that possible?" Pakku asked. "I thought only the avatar was capable of such things." He looked to Iroh who frowned at his clasped hands. Iroh shook his head and cleared his throat.

"There is a spirit, known for its hatred of the avatar," Iroh began. The room fell silent except for Sokka eagerly making notes as fast as his hand could move.

"Masaru the Pilferer," Aang said quietly. All eyes turned to him, but he was staring at Iroh. "What do you know about him?"

"Not much," Iroh admitted. "Just that he once had disciples known as the Takers who would steal people's bending. According to history, Masaru the Pilferer vanished before even Avatar Yangchen came to be."

"But why do they take away the bending of others?" Zuko snapped. He slammed his hand on the table in anger, and it seemed that only Aang and Iroh noticed him cringe in pain. His hand seemed bruised and swollen to Aang, but he didn't say anything about it. "This doesn't make any sense," Zuko growled.

"Zuko," Hakoda said. "I understand you're needed in the Fire Nation. Perhaps you and your uncle would like to-,"

"I actually thought everyone might come with us," Zuko said quickly. Sokka looked up from his notes and Hakoda frowned slightly. "In the Fire Nation we would have everything we would need and as Firelord, nothing is off limits to me there."

This brought a jumble of arguments as everyone tried to claim their own home as the best, but Aang remained silent through it all. He had trusted Koh, and this is what had become of it. He needed to find a way to bring Koh to this world so that he could unleash all his power on the spirit.

"Aang what do you think?" Zuko finally asked, bringing the noise in the room down again. Aang looked at all of them, lost in his own thoughts. He rose from his chair and glared at everyone in turn.

"I think you need to go see Katara about your hand before it falls off," Aang snapped. "I think after all Toph has been through she should be the one to decide where we bring her. I think trying to restore her bending is pointless without first understanding why it was even taken in the first place! I think-,"

"Aang," Katara whispered from behind him. Her hand was on his shoulder, gently pulling him away from the table. "Aang we need to talk."

Aang turned to follow Katara away and saw Toph sitting in a chair just inside the room.

"Toph," Zuko whispered. He rose from his chair but she waved for him to stay where he was.

"I definitely don't want to be trapped on this ice cube," Toph said. "Even if I did get my bending back here I would never know it because there's no earth! I don't want to go back to the Earth Kingdom because now I'm just as weak as my parents always said I was. That only leaves one place."

As the room erupted again, Aang and Katara slipped out of the room, down the hall, and finally into her personal quarters. She spun around before he could speak and kissed him passionately.

He returned her affections after his initial surprise and when he pulled away he was a little dizzy. She smiled and forced him into a sitting position on the floor.

"I don't like leaving home again, but I knew it was coming sooner or later. I'm going to pack our things, you speak to Roku. Who knows? He may know what to do!"

"Katara," Aang began, but she bent down and kissed him.

"Don't talk, meditate."

And so he did. Aang found his meditation stance and closed his eyes. Within moments he and Roku were standing before each other.

_"Hello Aang,"_ Roku said. His eyes were sad, reflecting how Aang felt. Aang bowed.

"Things have gone horribly wrong," Aang said. He told Roku everything that had happened and exactly how he had been feeling. When he finished, Roku simply stared at him.

_"Am I correct in assuming you wish to spare Masaru's life, as you did Ozai?"_

"I would rather not kill everyone who challenges me," Aang said.

_"All things die Aang. To deny that truth is to disrupt the balance of life."_

"That doesn't mean all things should be murdered. If that's what it comes to, I will take Masaru's life, but if there is another option I will find it."

Roku nodded his head.

_"Then I suggest you spend some time looking for Wan Shi Tong's library. They say he brought it back here to the spirit world after a couple of humans took it upon themselves to use his knowledge for war."_ Aang smiled and rubbed the back of his neck, remembering how he and his friends had only narrowly escaped the spirit's wrath.

"Once we reach the Fire Nation that will be the first thing I do," Aang said. He just hoped Wan Shi Tong would let him search for the knowledge to help Toph.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five – **Trials of a Worried Waterbender

"Toph are you there?" Katara asked as she knocked on the door. The other girl had been shut up in her room for too long.

"I want to be left alone Katara," Toph called. Katara sighed and tried to open the door, but it was locked.

"Toph I need to check you. I need to see if anything's changed!"

Something hit the door and shattered, making Katara jump.

"Nothing's changed! When I can move stones again I'll let you know, but until then just leave me alone."

"You're being ridiculous!" Katara yelled through the door. She uncapped her wineskin, preparing to break in when Zuko came around the corner.

"You seem a little on edge Katara," Zuko said. Katara jumped as if she had been shocked and quickly put her bending water away.

"Toph won't let me in!" Katara snapped. Zuko crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yes I can see that," he said.

"I need to-,"

"Nothing's changed Katara. We're all anxious for Aang to return but that doesn't mean you should bother Toph every day."

Katara knew he was right but she hated just waiting. She nodded her end and instantly walked away, leaving Zuko to shake his head in irritation.

Katara sat in front of Aang doing everything she could not to shake him awake. They had been in the Fire Nation for a month and he had been locked in meditation from the moment Zuko showed him his room.

"Aang I wish you were here," Katara whispered. Zuko was so busy fixing his kingdom and Toph refused to be seen, so Katara was lonelier than she had ever been. She wished Sokka had chosen to come with them, but he was serious about being with Suki.

She sighed and rolled backward onto her feet. If she was going to be here for a while, she might as well get some work done in the city. The people of the Fire Nation would come to love the Water Tribes if she had anything to say about it.

As she was leaving Aang's room, she found her chance at the sound of Zuko's furious voice.

"What do you mean he lied to you?" Zuko raged. A door slammed and Katara quickly moved in the direction of the noise. The door that slammed was the door to Zuko's study. Katara stepped up to the door and listened carefully.

"We looked sire," a man said. He sounded almost as if he was begging. "She wasn't where he told us she would be."

"My father said she would be there!" Zuko yelled. Something inside the room shattered and Katara was wondering if everyone in the palace liked to break things.

"I'm sorry sire," the man said. "Perhaps he was mistaken."

Katara's heart suddenly broke as she realized this was about Zuko's mother. If there was anything she could understand about Zuko, it was the longing he had to see his mother. Katara made her decision almost instantly. She ran from the palace as quickly as she could.

Katara entered the prison where Ozai was being held, but was stopped almost instantly upon entering by the warden.

"No one but royalty gets past this point," the warden said.

"I am a friend of Firelord Zuko," Katara said.

"That's not enough to make you royalty. Get out before I make you leave."

"My boyfriend is the avatar!" Katara said. She didn't like the idea of fighting her way through the warden, especially considering how powerful he looked.

"Still not enough," the man growled as he grabbed her arm. With grace that only a waterbender could possess, she twisted her arm out of his grip, spun around so that she was behind him, and pushed him out of the prison. Once he stumbled out, she ran forward and slammed the door shut.

Katara ignored the man's yelling as she entered the hall that would bring her to the holding cells. The hall spiraled upward for so long, it eventually got hard to ignore the imprisoned men ogling her. More than one reached out to try to touch her leg or to grab her hand. One lunged forward with such determination that she used her water whip on him by pure reflex and left a large welt on the side of his face.

Finally, she reached the very top where the floor leveled out and only a single cell remained behind a locked door. Carefully, she filled the keyhole with water, letting it overfill before freezing the water and breaking the lock.

She entered the room and there was Ozai staring at her from his cell. When he saw who it was his face seemed to fall.

"What are you doing here girl?" He demanded. Katara knelt down and looked into the man's eyes, imagining him separating Zuko from his mother. She brought her rage forward and began bloodbending Ozai until he was bowing to her. "What are you doing to me?" he cried.

"Tell me where she is!" Katara said. "Where is his mother?" She spread her hands apart, pulling his blood with it. Ozai cried out in pain as his veins and arteries contracted.

"You will find her in the Plains Village," Ozai moaned.

"Is that what you told Zuko?" Ozai could only shake his head. Katara slammed her hands together and punch forward, slamming Ozai into the cell wall as hard as she could. She released him instantly in order to ensure his survival. "That was for taking my mother too," Katara spat. She left the prison as fast as possible, hoping Aang didn't wake up anytime soon. She and Appa were going to be gone for a little while.


End file.
